Let’s just get this out of the way first: yes, obviously you need diapers. And wipes. And some way to feed your baby—formula or a breast pump if you’re nursing. And clothes, although honestly, your newborn is going to live in approximately three zip-up sleepers on repeat, so don’t go wild there.
Okay, now that we’ve checked the “duh” box, let’s talk about the things you actually need. The things that don’t look sexy on a registry but will quite literally save your sanity at 2:17 a.m.
A White Noise Machine
I am begging you – just get one. Your baby just spent nine months in what can only be described as a very loud, constant whooshing environment. Silence is not comforting to them. Silence is suspicious. White noise = instant calm, better sleep, and a buffer from your other children screaming “MOMMMMM” from across the house. As a newborn photographer, I use it in every single session. It works.
A Velcro Swaddle
Listen, I don’t care how many times you watch the nurse fold that hospital blanket into a perfect baby burrit – you will not replicate it at home while running on 45 minutes of sleep. Enter: Velcro swaddles. Foolproof. Fast. And most importantly, they stay on. Which means longer stretches of sleep for everyone involved. And don’t even try to tell me that your baby “hates being swaddled” or “only likes it when her arms are out” – you are wrong. I’m sorry.
The Windi (Yes, Really)
No one tells you how gassy newborns are, but let me be the one to break it to you: it’s a whole situation. The Windi is one of those things you’ll side-eye…until you need it. And when you do? Game changer. Immediate relief for baby, which means less crying, which means you questioning your life choices just a tiny bit less.
A Solly Wrap
This is the difference between “I cannot get anything done” and “I am a semi-functioning human.” The Solly Wrap lets you keep your baby close and cozy, while still having your hands free to, I don’t know, make coffee? Help your other kids? Exist? It’s soft, not bulky, and actually comfortable to wear—which matters when your baby decides they will only nap on your body for the foreseeable future. And don’t be intimidated that you need to wrap it – the learning curve is quick.
So, spoiler alert: you don’t need half the stuff on those endless registry lists. You need a few basics, a few lifesavers, and the ability to pivot when your baby decides they hate something you swore they’d love.
Everything else is nice to have. But these fuckers? These will help you survive.
Oh, and if you are on the North Shore of Massachuetts you also need a newborn shoot – with me. So ya know – book that. xo
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